//------------------------------// // More questions than answers // Story: Ties to the Past // by Saro0fdemonz //------------------------------// "Is this everything Princess?" Twilight asked as she read over the scroll. "Twilight...how many times must I say it? You are my equal now. Simply Celestia is enough." the elder Alicorn said with a smile. "Sorry...its a hard habit to break Prin—Celestia...I'm still new to this..." the newly appointed princess mumbled sheepishly, her wings twitching absentmindedly. Celestia gave her former student a knowing smile as she sat beside her. "There is something else isn't there Twilight?" Celestia asked softly, her student..ahem..former student, nodding. "I've actually been meaning to ask...Why 'Princess'? You've taken care of everypony in Equestria for centuries and yet you only have the title of Princess." Twilight rambled, never looking up at her former teacher. Celestia sighed. "I knew this day would come. When a pony would wonder about the titles of canterlot. Twilight Sparkle...there was once a queen among us...but...no...that doesn't do her justice. Come with me Twilight. There is much to talk about." Celestia said softly. Twilight watched as Celestia walked away, quickly rolling up the scroll with her list of duties and chasing after her. "where are we going Pr—Celestia?" Twilight asked, barely catching herself. "The Forbidden Archives." Celestia said simply. Twilights eyes widened for a moment. She had never been allowed to even look at the gate that led into that massive hall. "But..." Twilight began, not sure what to say. "The answers are within there Twilight. Scrolls telling the real story of Equestria. Things that have never been brought to light among the common ponyfolk. The only ones aware of its contents are myself, Luna, and Cadence...though she was not there for the majority of it...she has experienced much...as have you Twilight. I think it is only fair that you know the truth." Celestia explained, standing before the massive enchanted gate. Slowly her eyes began to glow, massive runes appearing before the gate and shifting like a gigantic puzzle. Twilight barely had a chance to memorize a pattern before Celestia had moved onto the next, flying through the puzzles as if they were nothing. In a matter of moments the final lock was opened and the gate unlocked. Celestia pulled it open with a gentle flick of her magic before turning to Twilight. "I must admit Twilight...beyond this gate...are many things that I am not proud of...and I hope you do not see me any differently after discovering the truth." Celestia said sadly. Twilight was shocked. Was the truth of Equestria's past really so horrible? What could Celestia have done that would change her thoughts of her? She shook her head, staring into Celestia's eyes. "Cadence read through all of this didn't she?" She asked softly, Celestia answering with a nod. Twilight smiled. "Then there is nothing to worry about. She loves you just as much as I do." Twilight said, blushing as the words left her mouth. "I-I meant as friends! T-The love friends share..." Twilight began to ramble, stopping as Celestia giggled quietly. "It is quite alright Twilight. I suggest you begin with this one...if you have any questions feel free to ask." Celestia said, holding a scroll before her in her magic. Twilight gingerly took it, placing it in her saddlebags next to her list of duties. "Be careful with that scroll Twilight. It is enchanted. Only you or a Princess can open or read it. Make sure you are in a safe place and alone when you read it. If anypony else touches it...and it will burst into flames." Celestia explained, turning to leave. "I must attend to my duties Twilight. I trust you know what to do?" She asked. Twilight nodded. "Yes Princess, I mean...Celestia." The scroll had begun to burn a hole in Twilights saddlebag, nagging at the back of her mind as she attended to the few duties currently expected of her as a newly appointed Princess. She only had a few things left on her list, simple things such as selecting members of each royal guard to begin her own Guard, setting up a training schedule, having new armor made for them, and recruiting ponies into her guard. That wasn't all, but it was the most important of her list. Luna had been reluctant to allow any of her guard to leave, deciding on two of her most trusted and loyal veterans and several rookies to watch after Twilight. "As the newest addition to the Royal family, you must be well looked after Twilight Sparkle. Therefore we are trusting you with these, our finest guards. Once you are ready we will free them of the enchantments that bind them to us." Luna had said to her. "What do you mean ready? what Enchantments?" Twilight asked. Luna only smiled. "You will learn soon enough Twilight Sparkle..." she had answered softly, leaving her with the cryptic message. Now Twilight sat alone in her new room, surprised by how massive it was. A large circular bed sat in the center of a gargantuan rug that took up the lowered center of the room which sat in a 'bowl' shaped by the carpeted stairs around it. What amazed her even further was that the carpet was stitched with her cutiemark as the main pattern.The walls matched her lavender coat and the curtains her mane, made of the finest silk and blowing lazily in the mid-afternoon breeze. On one half of the room an entire wall was lined with bookshelves, only half filled with her personal collection, and on the other side a long couch and several chairs in what Twilight liked to call her 'comfort zone', which was more of a large area for her to relax with a good book and read the days worries away. Beyond an arched doorway sat a large bath, built into the floor with a magical fountain constantly filling it with fresh spring water, kept at a comfortable temperature at all times. Through another doorway was her personal study, quills and parchment neatly stacked along with reference books and several of her own hoof-written spellbooks. She was most proud of those tomes., having poured years of magical study into them. The young alicorn sighed, laying on her stomach among the satin sheets and thick comforter of her bedspread, digging through her saddlebag for the scroll and biting her lip as she held it in her hoof. "Untold secrets of all of Equestria sitting in my hoof and I'm too scared to even open it...maybe I don't need to know..." Twilight thought aloud, twirling the scroll idly in her magic. The looks on the Princess' faces had been worrying. It didn't seem like they were afraid of her learning the truth, more like the feared how she would take it, that they feared for her. Could Equestria's history really be so horrible? Now that the question sat in her mind she had to know. She grabbed the scroll in her hooves, freezing as she heard a knock at her doors. "Princess Twilight! You have guests." the guard called out to her. Twilight swore under her breath, quickly tucking the Scroll away. "Send them in!" she called back, smiling as her friends entered. Rainbow whistled as she flew around above them. "Whoa, nice place Twi. Guess theres some perks to bein' a Princess huh?" she teased. "Its a lot more than I expected really..." she admitted. "Its simply marvelous Darling. I must say I am...slightly jealous..." Rarity mumbled as she looked around. "HA! Slightly? Rare ya'll were practically in pieces 'bout this whole thing. Couldn't decide whether t' be happy fer her or be upset that she got this fancy place t' herself. Ah fer one am happy fer ya Twi, though its gonna be mighty different without ya bein' in Ponyville." Applejack said with a smile. "Well, if all goes well I'll actually be returning to Ponyville. Celestia wants to change the library into a small castle...I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with the idea yet...but...I would need more space." Twilight muttered, spreading her wings as an example. Rainbow whistled, landing nearby. "Now thats a wingspan." she said with a slight blush, all eyes turning to her. The pegasus quickly cleared her throat. "For an egghead." she mumbled, taking a seat. Applejack only raised an eyebrow at the pegasus before turning back to Twilight. "Ah'm not sure what t' think 'bout havin' a big ol' castle in our little town. But ah'm sure if it had ya'll in it than everythin' would be fine. Ponies could come t' ya fer help like they do with th' Princess here." Applejack pointed out. Twilight shrugged. "Ponies could already do that when the Library was still just a Library. And I enjoyed that. I guess I'm just not ready to have a bunch of ponies bowing to me and calling me 'Princess' all the time. I'm just glad you girls can still be yourselves around me." Twilight sighed, her wings giving an irritated twitch and knocking over her saddlebag. She gasped, quickly reaching for the scroll and sighing with relief. Her friends all stared as the Alicorn seemed to cling to the scroll for dear life. "Whats so important about that scroll?" Rainbow asked, trying to get a peek at it. "Its something Celestia gave me..." she said, every pony in the room raising an eyebrow. "Its not what you think! Its just documents I swear!" Twilight explained with a blush. "Documents huh? Then you probably wouldn't mind us taking a peek would ya?" Rainbow asked teasingly. "Actually...its..sort of...enchanted. Only a Princess can open it, or read it. Celestia gave it to me from the Forbidden Section of the Canterlot Archives." The Alicorn looked down at the scroll in her hooves. "I haven't opened it yet...I'm honestly a bit scared of what might be inside..." She admitted. "I'm sure its nothing too horrible Twilight. Otherwise the Princess wouldn't have given it to you." Fluttershy said quietly. "No...I'm sure its just as horrible as I think..." Twilight said, tucking the scroll away. "So thats it? You just aren't going to read it? C'mon Twi! Live a little!" Rainbow groaned, jabbing Twilights ribs with a hoof. Twilight glared at her, receiving a sheepish smile in return. "Ok Dashie, thats enough." Pinkie mumbled quietly, pulling Rainbow Dash away and out into the hallway. "Is...she ok?" Twilight asked. "Um...Its nothing Dear. Rainbow is just...adjusting. We all are. Its such a big change, I mean...You're a Princess now! It must be so exciting!" Rarity smiled, happy she beat Applejack to the punch. The farmer was a terrible liar. "Its a little exciting I guess. But I wouldn't be here without all of you, it was because of you girls that I figured out that spell. All of our adventures together and all that we've been through. Without that...I'd still just be Twilight Sparkle, that nerdy mare running a Library." She sighed, realizing just how much she missed being that nerdy mare. It was a comfortable life, despite the Villain of the month that she had to somehow defeat. Life as a Princess was so...different. She blinked, reaching for the scroll once more. "I must admit Twilight...beyond this gate...are many things that I am not proud of...and I hope you do not see me any differently after discovering the truth." Celestia's words filled her thoughts. Could the scroll hold the truth of how Celestia came into power? Secrets of the battle against Nightmare Moon, untold to anypony? "Girls...I need to be alone...Celestia said I would need to be alone and safe when I read this...I'm not asking you to leave...maybe just stand guard until I finish." Twilight suggested, smiling as they nodded. "Jus' call if ya need us sugarcube." Applejack said with a tip of her hat, stepping outside and quickly followed by Fluttershy and Rarity. She waited a moment before opening the scroll, locking each window with a light flick of magic. It seemed like so little was needed now, even before it hadn't taken much, but she barely had to even think about it now. It scared her. Was Celestia scared too? Twilight blinked as the thought hit her. She had never really thought about it before, but just how HAD Celestia become a Princess? Had she just been born as one? As the almighty, all-knowing goddess of Equestria? It just didn't seem to make sense. She needed answers, and she was going to get them. Twilight slowly opened the scroll, yelling in surprise as the room filled with light. "Heh, way to go Lulu. I bet someday you'll even break my flight record. Well, maybe." Storm Bolt teased the young Alicorn. "WOW! You really think so?!" Luna asked excitedly, giggling as the pegasus commander ruffled her mane. "I know ya will. Twilight felt tears sting her eyes as the image faded away, gasping as another filled her minds eye. Celestia struggled, biting her lip as she focused her magic, the sun slowly, almost painfully making its way over the horizon. Finally it reached its peak and she let go, panting heavily from the effort. A taller, more mature Alicorn, her coat white and her longflowing golden mane shining with the might of the sun itself stood next to the bubblegum maned Alicorn. "You are trying too hard sister. You have to feel it, be a part of it. You do not pull it, you guide it. It will pull you, but you must remain firm and stand tall against it. Let it pull itself to you sister." She said to her, nuzzling her gently. "I'm trying sister...it is not as easy as you make it sound, or as easy as you make it look..." Celestia fumed. "I know sister, but in time you'll learn it is easier than you are making it." the elder sister teased. "a-a Sister?" Twilight thought aloud, gasping as once again she was hit with a vision. "Come on Celly, don't be such a party pooper! Just one?" Discord asked, bottom lip stuck out and wobbling. Celestia caved in and sighed, grabbing a water balloon in her magic and dropping it over the balcony onto an unsuspecting Storm Bolt. Both Alicorn and Draconequus broke into a fit of laughter as the Commander of the guard yelled at them, making a quick getaway before Storm Bolt could give chase. Celestia sighed as her fit of laughter died down, nuzzling Discords cheek. "You were right, it was fun." She said with a small smile, causing Discord to blush slightly. "This can't be happening..." Twilight mumbled, closing the scroll and panting slightly. There had been so much happening at once, she could only see bits and pieces of it. But what she had seen only brought about more questions. Celestia had an elder sister that taught her how to raise the sun, but where was she now? Who was she? Why had she never been mentioned before? On top of that...Celestia had been in a relationship with Discord of all creatures. Had anyone else been aware of it? They seemed so young in her vision, Celestia's mane wasn't even the one she knew now. It had just been like every other pony, hanging from her head in long flowing locks of pink. Luna had appeared to be just a young filly, with a short cut light blue mane clinging to her head in just the cutest of ways. Just how much of Equestria's History was unknown? It was too much to take in. She needed answers. She looked down at the scroll again, taking a deep breath as she opened it once more.